JEDDAH, 3 August 2006 — Employers who don’t abuse or maltreat their domestic help do exist, and there are plenty of them out there. There are even those who go out of their way to help their workers in their time of need.

Lucena Benigno Agsao, a 54-year-old maid from the northern Philippines, could attest to that. When she returned home “for good” several days ago, her employer not only accompanied her to the airport, but even wept unabashedly as if in sorrow.

“She took good care of us when she joined our family 27 years ago. I was only six years old at that time. She went on to take care of my two children,” Reem Bajnaid said in between sobs as she and officials of the Philippine Consulate saw Agsao off at King Abdulaziz International Airport of Jeddah.

Agsao first came to the Kingdom in 1980 as a housemaid and had no plans yet of retiring. After all, she said, she was happy with her current sponsor, who had returned her loyalty by treating her as a member of the family. She said that her employer always took her whenever they traveled, and let her eat the same food that they have.

Unfortunately, illness cut short her plans. Agsao said that over two months after she returned to Jeddah from a monthlong vacation last May, she started feeling pain in her abdomen. When the pain persisted and her sponsor learned about her problem, she took her to King Fahd Hospital for a medical examination. She was later transferred to King Abdul Aziz Hospital, where she was admitted on Aug. 12 and diagnosed with a stage 4 ovary cancer.

Ahmed Zaidon, a member of the sponsor’s family, personally came to see Labor Attaché Bulyok Nilong at the consulate’s labor office (POLO) on Aug. 16 to report that their maid was in hospital.

He said Agsao chose to be treated in Jeddah and wished for her only daughter, Lucilin, to come for a visit and take care of her. He said they had readily granted her wishes, considering that she had worked loyally with them for 27 years. The family assured her that they would shoulder all her expenses, even if it would entail not less than 50,000 riyals.

But Agsao said she later changed her mind after a counseling by the consulate’s social welfare officer. Perlita Panganiban, a representative to the POLO of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said that while the sponsor was willing to shoulder Agsao’s medical expenses, it was better for her to seek treatment at home so that she would be near members of her family, other relatives and friends.

Zaidon said they agreed to the arrangement and even suggested that a consulate staff member accompany Agsao on her flight to the Philippines, with expenses shouldered by the family.

“She is a good model for Filipino workers,” Zaidon said. “Now that she is ill, we tried our best to support her financially and emotionally to cope with this very difficult situation.”

Zaidon urged all employers to do the same if they encounter a similar situation with their domestic helpers.

Consul General Pendosina Lomondot, who was monitoring the case, commended the gesture of love and concern shown by the sponsor’s family to their worker.

“We very much appreciate and commend the efforts of Mr. Zaidon and family for providing all the medical requirements of their maid. The sponsors’ overwhelming concern for the wellbeing of their helper is more of a gesture of love. It is a love like that for a mother, a mother who has always been there for them for these past 27 years,” he said.

Arab News learned that other relatives of the sponsor contributed to the financial needs of Agsao and that the family gave 30,000 riyals for her hospitalization.

Samiha Dagag, a family member who is currently in Egypt, was said to be in grief upon learning that Agsao was leaving.

At the airport on Aug. 25, Reem Bajnaid had to be consoled by Mrs. Panganiban and Welfare Officer Jake Samain as her former nanny and her children’s nanny was wheeled to a Saudia Airlines flight.

“I hope that they will take good care of her when she is in the Philippines,” Bajnaid said.

Agsao was accompanied by a nurse, Mona Agampal. She and her patient were given a business class seat.

Agsao was then met at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila by her daughter, who came all the way from Vintar town in Ilocos Norte province.